1 T hen Elihu continued and said,

2 “ Do you think this is according to justice? Do you say, ‘My righteousness is more than God’s’?

3 “ For you say, ‘ What advantage will it be to You? What profit will I have, more than if I had sinned?’

4 “ I will answer you, And your friends with you.

5 “ Look at the heavens and see; And behold the clouds—they are higher than you.

6 “ If you have sinned, what do you accomplish against Him? And if your transgressions are many, what do you do to Him?

7 “ If you are righteous, what do you give to Him, Or what does He receive from your hand?

8 “ Your wickedness is for a man like yourself, And your righteousness is for a son of man.

9 “ Because of the multitude of oppressions they cry out; They cry for help because of the arm of the mighty.

10 “ But no one says, ‘Where is God my Maker, Who gives songs in the night,

11 W ho teaches us more than the beasts of the earth And makes us wiser than the birds of the heavens?’

12 “ There they cry out, but He does not answer Because of the pride of evil men.

13 “ Surely God will not listen to an empty cry, Nor will the Almighty regard it.

14 “ How much less when you say you do not behold Him, The case is before Him, and you must wait for Him!

15 “ And now, because He has not visited in His anger, Nor has He acknowledged transgression well,

16 S o Job opens his mouth emptily; He multiplies words without knowledge.”